Bathtub enclosure



Jan. 22, 1963 s. TAUBMAN BATHTUB ENCLOSURE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 6, 1960 INVENTOR. 54777216 .7 721%27774 3,074,977 BATHTUB ENQLGdURE Samuel Taubrnan, 24714 Maryland Ave, Southfield, Mich. Filed June 6, 1968, Ser. No. 34,014 11 Claims. (Cl. 4-149) The present invention relates to closures for bathtubs, showers and the like, and to an improved method of constructing the same.

Closures of this type include spaced upright members which, in the case of bathtub enclosures for example, extend upwardly from the bathtub along the walls between which it is disposed and support an upper track or header extending therebetween and which carries closure panel means movably mounted on the header. in such constructions it is very important to the satisfactory operation thereof that the header be mounted with a minimum variation from a true level position.

in tub enclosures, for example, which have one or more panels supported on the header and freely movable therealong, an out of level condition of the header results in these panels tending to roll toward and stay at one end of the header. in previously known constructions difficulty has often been encountered in locating the header in the desired level position. A primary source of difficulty is that the bathtub is often inclined relative to the horizontal so that one end thereof is disposed at a higher level than the other. in such a case the upright members of the tub enclosure, if of the same effective length, will result in the header being similarly out of level.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved closure for bathtubs, showers, and the like which is simple in design, economical of manufacture, sturdy and durable in construction, and which is also adapted to be easily installed either by unskilled workers or as a do-it-yoursel-f project and which enables the installer to readily locate the header in a level or very nearly level position.

More specifically, it is an object of the invention to provide such an improved closure apparatus in which the header is supported on support elements which may be readily altered to support the header in the desired level position.

Further, it is an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus of the lust mentioned type wherein the support elements are simple in design and inexpensive so that errors, if any, made in altering the support elements are not costly.

Another object of t e present invention is to provide an improved method of constructing a closure for a bathtub, shower or the like which may be easily carried out by unskilled labor and greahy facilitates locating the closure header in the desired level position.

It is also an object of the present invention to provide an improved combination glass channel and handle for use in closures for bathtubs, showers and the like, which closures include a glass panel and frame means along the edge of the glass panel.

More specifically, it is also an object of the invention to provide such an improved combination glass channel and handle which is adapted to both shield the edge of the glass from direct contact with the frame channel and provide an anchor securely holding the handle in position.

It is a further object to provide such a combination glass channel and handle which is simple in design, economical of construction and which may be easily installed.

While it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the improvement of the present invention may be readily embodied in, and employed in the construction of, a wide variety of apparatus, the improvements of the present invention are herein illustrated and described as embodied in a bathtub enclosure.

3,! Ld3? Patented Jan. 22, 1953 In the accompanying drawings:

PXGURE 1 is a front elevational view of a tub enclosure constructed according to the present invention;

FEGURE 2 is an enlarged sectional view of the structure illustrated in FIGURE 1, taken substantially along the line 2-2 thereof; and,

FIGURES 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7 are sectional views of the structure illustrated in FIGURE 2, taken substantially along the lines 3-35, 4-4, 55-5, 6-6 and 7-7 thereof, respectively.

Referring to the drawings, a bathtub lid is illustrated disposed between spaced vertical walls 12 and 14 at opposite ends thereof and extending upwardly from the surface 16 at the top of the front of the tub it}. The tub enclosure generally indicated at 33 comprises a guide track or rail Zll, supported on and extending along the upper surface 1.6 at the front of the tub ill, a pair of upright members 22 and 24 extending upwardly from the rail 2 and secured to the walls 12 and 14, respectively, a roller track or header 26 extending between and supported on the uprights 22 and 2d and panels 255 and 35% supported on the header 25 and guided in the guide rail 23 for movement longitudinally of the header and guide rail.

in the preferred embodiment illustrated, the guide rail hill, the uprights 2 2 and 24 and the header 2:; are all formed as extrusions of aluminum. The guide rail 2% has short outwardly turned flange portions 32, the lower surfaces or" which constitute feet to support the rail 26 on the bathtub surface 16 and the upper sides of which support the lower ends of the uprights 2 2 and which, through this engagement with the feet 32 holds the lower track or rail 2% down. The rail 2% has two longitudinally extending guide slots 34 and 36 formed in the upper surface thereof which co-operate with the panels 28 and 353' as hereinafter described, to guide the lower portions thereof during movement of the panels longitudinally of the guide rail and the header It will be noted that the guide rail 23 has a floor 33 which slopes toward the inner side of the tub and that the rail has a central web 4% and inner and outer walls 42 and 44-, the central web and the inner wall 42 being provided with apertures 46 and iil to permit water collecting in the guide rail 29 to drain into the tub ill.

'1' he upright members 22 and 24, in the preferred embodiment illustrated, may be extruded from the same die and are H-shaped in cross section as best illustrated in FIGURES 3, 5 and 6. Each of the uprights 22 and 2 has a central web 5% adapted to extend in parallel relation to, and relatively closely spaced from, the one of the walls 12 and 14 to which the upright is secured. Each upright also has short flange portions 52 extending from the web 5% toward and engaging the adjacent wall and has longer oppositely extending flanges 54, the lower edges of which rest upon the upper surface of the guide rail feet 32, the flanges 5d fitting over the outer surfaces of the inner and outer flanges 4-2 and i of the guide rail 2% as best illustrated in FIGURE 2. The opposite ends of the header 26 are also received between the flanges 54- of the uprights, as best illustrated in FIGURES 2 and 3. At its upper end the web 59 has a centrally located downwardly extending slot 56 terminating at its lower end in an upwardly presenting surface or abutment 53. Received in the slot 55 is a supporting element oil which, in the preferred embodiment illustrated, is also an extruded section and includes an H-shaped end section forming the upper portion thereof, as viewed in FIGURE 3, which has a web portion 62 received in and extending through the slot 56 and connecting spaced parallel leg portions 64 and d6 overlying opposite faces of the flange 56) at opposite sides of the slot 56. The support element so also includes a plate portion 68 forming an extension of the web portion s2 thereof and extending at right angles to the web 5'0 of the upright member 22 or 24 in which support element dd is mounted and extending in a direction away from the wall 12 and adapted to cooperate with the legpor'tion 66 to engage and support the header 26.

The header 26 is generally 'J-shaped with the open side facing downwardly and includes a closed top 7%, spaced parallel inner and outer sides 72 and 74, respectively, and track portions 75 and 78 extending horizontally toward one another from the lower edges of the sides '74-. The track portions 76 and '78 deine a slot do therebetween. In the assembled relation illustrated in the drawings, the opposite ends of the header 26 are supported on the supporting elements 69 with the bottom surface of the header top 7% engaging and resting upon the upper surface of the portions of the supporting elements 60 disposed between the flanges S4 of the upright 22 or 24, these portions being the plate portion 63 and the leg portion 66.

The panels 2% and 30 are identical but are reversely faced so that one faces inwardly of the tub and the other faces outwardly. Each of these panels includes a glass 82, the opposite vertical edges of which are supported in frame channels 84 and $6. The panel is supported on an upper frame channel 88 interconnecting the upper ends of the side frame channels 84 and as and having an upwardly extending flange 9b which extends upwardly through the slot 80 and carries rollers 92 which roll upon the grooved upper surface of one of the track portions 76 and 78. The lower edge of the glass 82 is received in a lower frame channel 94 which interconnects the lower ends of the side frame channels 84 and 86 and has a downwardly extending guide flange 6. To prevent rattling of these flanges 96 in the guide rail 25 the flanges are provided with upwardly extending slots 93 in which are mounted guide buttons 1% which, in the preferred embodiment illustrated, are cut from an extruded length of material and are of H-shaped cross section, as best illustrated in FIGURE 6.

The outwardly facing panel 28 is supported by its rollers 92 on the track portion 78 and the guide flange 96 thereof extends into the guide slot 34 of the guide rail 20. The inwardly facing panel 36, which is illustrated only in FIGURE 1, is supported on the track section 76 of the header and is guided in the slot 36 of the guide rail 20.

The present invention also contemplates an improved method of constructing a closure for a bathtub, shower or the like, in which the closure includes a movably mounted panel supported above a surface which may be out of level. The need for this improved method arises out of the fact mentioned above that bathtubs are very often not level and the further fact that it is important for the reasons also pointed out above, that the support for the movable panel be level. The improved method of the present invention includes the step of measuring the difference in elevation of the two ends of the bathtub, the step of positioning wall members against the walls to extend upwardly therealong from the opposite ends of the bathtub in the positions which they are to occupy in the finally constructed enclosure, the step of forming two header support elements differing in height by an amount substantially equal to the difference in elevation of the two ends of the bathtub, the step of mounting the support elements on the wall members with the same distance between each of the support elements and the adjacent end of the bathtub and with the support element of greater height on the wall member at the lower end of the bathtub and with the support element of lesser height on the wall member at the higher end of the bathtub, and the step of mounting a header with its opposite ends supported on said support elements. To provide a neat appearance, the method may also include the step of subsequently marking the wall members at the upper surface of the header while it is so supported and then disassem- [i bling the enclosure, cutting the wall members to the length marked and finally reassembling the enclosure.

It will be appreciated that in choosing the lengths to which the support elements 69 are to be cut to provide a difference in length equal to the out of level condition of the bathtub, it should be kept in mind that the longer support 6t) should not be so long as to raise the guide flange 5 6 of the lower frame channel 94- from the guide rail 26. Similarly, the shorter support element 69 must not be made so short that the guide flange 9d of the lower frame channel 94- will engage the surface 38 of the guide rail 20. In practice, the one installing the closure is provided with a table showing for each amount that the tub is out of level, the length supporting element which he should use at the low end of the tub and the length supporting element which he should use at the high end of the tub.

The present invention also contemplates the provision of an improved combination glass channel and handle indicated at M2 in FIGURE 5. This combination handle and glass channel section may be formed of any suitable material and in the preferred embodiment illustrated, is formed of rubber. As its name implies, this combination handle and glass channel section includes a channelshaped portion indicated at 194 adapted to fit over the edge of the glass panel 23 and be received in the side frame member 84. This portion serves the combined purposes of anchoring the handle securely in place and cushioning the portion of the glass panel 23 which it overlies, against engagement with the metal frame member 84. The combination handle and glass channel also includes a handle portion 166 which is integrally formed with the channel portion 1M and extends at right angles outwardly from the outer end of one of the legs of the channel portion 104.

While only one specific embodiment of the invention has been illustrated and described herein, it will be readily appreciated by those skilled in the art that numerous modifications and changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.

What is claimed is:

1. Frame means for movably supporting panel means above the upper surface of the front side of a bathtub or other surface which may be sloped or out of level so that one end is of higher elevation than the other, said frame means including a pair of upright members extending upwardly from the opposite ends of said surface in spaced and substantially parallel relation and each having an upwardly facing abutment spaced the same distance from the lower end thereof, a header extending between said upright members and supported thereon and adapted to movably support said panel means, and support elements supporting the opposite ends of said header on said upright members, co-operating means on said upright members and said support elements mounting said elements on said members in engagement with and supported by said abutments, said supporting elements being adapted to be readily altered so that said elements when supported on said abutments provide supporting surfaces engaging and supporting the opposite ends of said header and which supporting surfaces are so differently spaced from said abutments that the difference in said spacing is equal to the difference in elevation between the opposite ends of said bathtub surface or other surface above which said header is supported.

2. Frame means as defined in claim 1 wherein the altering of said supporting elements consists of shortening at least one of said support elements to provide said supporting surfaces so disposed.

3. Frame means as defined in claim 1 wherein said supporting elements are of uniform cross section at all heights.

4. Frame means as defined in claim 3 wherein said cooperating means also mounts said elements on said members for sliding movement on and off the upper ends of said members.

5. Frame means as recited in claim 4 wherein said cooperating means includes a vertically extending web on each of said members adjacent the upper end of each upright member having a downwardly extending slot terminating at said upwardly facing abutment and flanges on said support elements engaging both sides of said web at opposite sides of said slot and a web portion interconnecting said flanges and received in said slot.

6. A closure for a bathtub or the like disposed be tween substantially vertical walls at each end thereof, a pair of wall members extending substantially vertically along said walls and secured thereto, a header extending between and supported on said wall members, means supporting each end of said header on one of said Wall members, said means at at least one end of said header including a supporting element having a support surface engaging and supporting said one end of said header and having a second surface substantially parallel to said support surface and engaged by said wall member and supporting said support member and an abutment surface on the adjacent wall member engaging said second surface of said support member to provide vertical support therefor, said wall member abutment surface being so disposed and the distance between said surfaces of said support element being such that when said header is supported on said wall members it is substantially level.

7. A closure for a bathtub or the like having a substantially vertical wall at each end thereof, a pair of wall channels extending substantially vertically along said walls upwardly from said bathtub in spaced and substantially parallel relation and secured to said walls each of said wall channels having a web disposed in spaced parallel relation to the adjacent one of said walls, a header eX- tending between and supported solely on said wall members, a pair of support elements disposed one at each end of said header and each having a first surface engaging said header to support one end thereof and a second surface engaged by one of said wall channels to support said support element against vertical movement in a downward direction, each of said wall channel webs having a surface engaging said second surface of said support element to support said element against vertical movement in a downward direction, and cooperating means on each of said wall channels and its associated support element supporting said element against movement relative to said wall channel and parallel to said wall channel surface, the distances between said surfaces of said support elements and the disposition of said wall channel surfaces being such that when said wall channels are secured to said walls said support elements supported on said wall channel surfaces and said header supported on said support elements said header will be substantially level.

8. A closure for a bathtub disposed between walls extending upwardly from the opposite ends thereof and the opposite ends of which are disposed at different elevations, a pair of wall members extending upwardly from opposite ends of said bathtub and secured to said walls, each of said wall members having a support surface spaced the same distance above the adjacent end of said tub, a pair of support elements differing in height by an amount equal to the difierence in elevation of the opposite ends of the bathtub with the element of greater height supported on said support surface of the one of said wall members at the lower end of said bathtub and with the element of lesser height supported on said sup port surface of the one said wall members at the higher end of said bathtub, a header extending between said wall members and supported on said support elements, and closure panel means movably supported on said header.

9. The combination recited in claim 8 including c0- operating means on said wall members and said support elements preventing movement of said support elements parallel to said support surfaces of said wall members.

10. The combination recited in claim 8 including cooperating means on said wall members and said support elements mounting said elements on said members for sliding movement longitudinally thereof into and out of engagement with said support surfaces thereof.

11. The combination recited in claim 10 wherein both of said support elements are of uniform cross section throughout the full height thereof.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,701,162 Kliger Feb. 1, 1955 2,761,533 Grossman Sept. 4, 1956 2,856,040 Danereau Oct. 14, 1958 

1. FRAME MEANS FOR MOVABLY SUPPORTING PANEL MEANS ABOVE THE UPPER SURFACE OF THE FRONT SIDE OF A BATHTUB OR OTHER SURFACE WHICH MAY BE SLOPED OR OUT OF LEVEL SO THAT ONE END IS OF HIGHER ELEVATION THAN THE OTHER, SAID FRAME MEANS INCLUDING A PAIR OF UPRIGHT MEMBERS EXTENDING UPWARDLY FROM THE OPPOSITE ENDS OF SAID SURFACE IN SPACED AND SUBSTANTIALLY PARALLEL RELATION AND EACH HAVING AN UPWARDLY FACING ABUTMENT SPACED THE SAME DISTANCE FROM THE LOWER END THEREOF, A HEADER EXTENDING BETWEEN SAID UPRIGHT MEMBERS AND SUPPORTED THEREON AND ADAPTED TO MOVABLY SUPPORT SAID PANEL MEANS, AND SUPPORT ELEMENTS SUPPORTING THE OPPOSITE ENDS OF SAID HEADER ON SAID UPRIGHT MEMBERS, CO-OPERATING MEANS ON SAID UPRIGHT MEMBERS AND SAID SUPPORT ELEMENTS MOUNTING SAID ELEMENTS ON SAID MEMBERS IN ENGAGEMENT WITH AND SUPPORTED BY SAID ABUTMENTS, SAID SUPPORTING ELEMENTS BEING ADAPTED TO BE READILY ALTERED SO THAT SAID ELEMENTS WHEN SUPPORTED ON SAID ABUTMENTS PROVIDE SUPPORTING SURFACES ENGAGING AND SUPPORTING THE OPPOSITE ENDS OF SAID HEADER AND WHICH SUPPORTING SURFACES ARE SO DIFFERENTLY SPACED FROM SAID 